Internal Communicator ? - Are you lucky ?

After my session on ‘Internal Communications’ at Ad Club of Madras, one of the students raised an interesting question: how will I break the mindset of the senior management about the importance of internal communications?

Good question… here is my take…

Consider yourself lucky if the senior leaders in your organization view internal communications as important and central to everything that happens inside the organization. Be it celebrations or stick and carrot or polished cane or even hygiene messages.

But on the other hand, if the senior leaders view internal communications as an ‘optional tool’ or ‘gimmick tool’, then you have a bigger task at hand. Break that mindset. Create a space for yourself in the boardroom first or in the CEO’s cubicle. So how do you do this – be extremely proactive, be courageous, be curious about everything in the organization and your line of business.

Tie everything you do with tangible results. Keep proving.


~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

RED FM, Durga Pooja & Mindset

RED FM ties up with the biggest Durga Pooja in Mumbai

Nice initiative. But I am unable to understand RED FM’s National Marketing Head and Station Head, Mr. Anuj Singh’ comments : “RED FM’s programming reflects the mindset of the city and its people.”

Dear, dear, dear… I suppose that’s what entertainment media should focus on, always. For ever. Entertainment industry can either reflect or break the mindsets of people for the good. I think it is tougher to do the second part and requires a greater application of mind and creativity.


~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

Soldier-less Attack !!???

Where did the US go wrong in its ‘war on Iraq’ communications? Track back a few years; you will remember that the US went to war with one promise to its citizens – soldier-less attack and minimal casualties. Great message, and let me ask you - how do you keep control on the enemy ground after the wham bham? You need to put the army boots on the ground to defend your prized invasion (surely not prized for common American citizens!) When that happened, it became a soldier versus suicide bomber attacks with upper-cut casualties for the US army.

After being battered both financially and emotionally, the decision on pullout is still hiding in some corners of the US power corridor. Probably, USA is delaying the pullout because they have not got on top of their communication strategy to avoid a loss of face.


~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

Shortcut to Pleasure

Madhukar Kumar, Image Strategist, had posted an interesting question in LinkedIn - what is the difference between Brand Personality and Brand Character. This is like chicken or egg for a fair majority of marketers. Let me try and simplify these jargons :

Brand Personality traits are subjective and dynamic. Brand Character traits are objective and timeless. As simple.

Building a brand character is tough and time consuming. Character traits include honesty, trust, reliability courage and so on. On a lighter note, Lehman means 'Greed', Merill means 'Fear' and AIG means '?'... you will know soon ;)

Whereas, Brand Personality is subjective. It includes a brand's preferences, tastes, sense of humor, interiors, attire, passion and a quite a lengthy list. This keeps changing. For example, some of the brand personalities of AXE : 'humorous', 'shortcut to pleasure' :)


~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

Publishing is the new PR

Gone are the days when company news need to wait for the mainstream media to pick it up. It all depended on how much the Journos liked your company or the spokesperson or the news or your restaurant choice. Then came the web. The transformation begun.

Now, I think 'Social Publishing' is the new PR. Go ahead and create your own articles, blogs, podcasts, videos and the likes. Syndicate them at relevant site. If this can be done in a way that fits your brand strategy and business imperatives consistently and effectively, you are on the new curve of creating media. Let the mainline conventional media wait or pick your viral. The choice is still theirs. But you have nothing to lose, now.


~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

The moral of the Lehman Story

It is a great lesson for all the CEOs to learn to take informed decisions rather than emotional and arrogant ones.

Just got reminded of a famous quote by Phil Knight, Nike co-founder : “The trouble in America is not that we are making too many mistakes, but that we are making too few.”

Wonder with Lehman down, Merill sold and AIG in doldrums, Phil has got it wrong.

~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

Faking 'Smile' is not networking

Economic Times carried an article on networking today. Title reads as 'Networking is about being genuine.' Read on for their first point and the quick tip for the second point - height of contradiction

Be real: The most important rule is to keep it real. Networking is about being genuine and building mutually beneficial relationships based on trust.

Quick tip: Don't flash a smile immediately when you greet someone. Instead, look at the person's face for a second, pause, and then bring on that warm smile.That way, the delay shows the individual that the smile was genuinely only for them.

What a contrived best practice !!

I believe that smile can lie but not the eyes. Throw this rule and be really real.

~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in